Dustin Vande Hoef
Communications Director
515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)
or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
Northey will attend the Goff Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Project field day near Knoxville. The site consists of 200 acres of land that was disturbed by unregulated surface coal mining in the 1950’s that created serious water quality concerns because of high sediment loads and acid mine drainage. The field day will highlight the partnership between private landowners, local conservation groups and government agencies that are working together to reclaim the site.
Northey will then host town meetings in Albia and Centerville.
“I’ve enjoyed these meetings and learned a lot from them during the past three years and look forward to seeing what issues are important to farmers across the state,” Northey said. “I hope farmers and rural residents will come out and share issues, ideas and challenges that are facing Iowa agriculture.”
The details of the visits follow here:
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Marion County – 10:00 a.m., Attend Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Project field day, Goff Reclamation project site, go 1.5 miles South on Hwy 5 from the Hwy 92 exit, then turn East on Oregon Drive and go 1.6 miles.
Monroe County – 12:30 p.m., 1st Iowa State Bank, Heritage Hall, 19 Benton Ave. E, Albia
Appanoose County – 2:30 p.m., Centerville Chamber of Commerce, 128 N. 12th St., Centerville
Northey, a corn and soybean farmer from Spirit Lake, is serving his first term as Secretary of Agriculture. His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are the opportunities in renewable energy, conservation and stewardship, and telling the story of Iowa agriculture.
